Thats not permanent LC. You are not selling newspapers here!

With the issues he has had, there is every chance he may not be back at Memphis.

Fair call.

I actually feel kind of sad about all this. I'm a big fan of AI.

How can they be at this stage of the season (ie...it HAS Started, hasn't it?) and have the coach and the player both admit that they have never spoken away from the court itself, unless through a 3rd person.

That's sad and unprofessional of AI, for sure....but a Head Coach shouldn't be able to get away with that either. That's just crap and it's up to a coach to make that move (whether he likes to admit it or not). Dealing with egos is part of dealing with stars. Hell, it's part of dealing with any playing group above about under 10s.

And as a coach, he should not have made an attempt to TALK to the guy and see what he could get out of him? Isn't it possible, that Iverson, if happy, could have been a 10-15 and 3-5 assist guy off the bench? Now he's nothing and the TEAM suffers.

I'm no Iverson fan.....but seriously, the coach still needs to try harder than that.

Dealing with company owners that don't have a clue is somethign I know a bit about. You don't have to agree with them, but you still need to do your job.

Dicko - I agree with you about the coach. To make no apparent effort at all is very poor.

I know one thing for sure is opposition team will have much more headache preparing for AI than Conley. I can see where AI's coming from, it ain't like the team is winning either. More importantly, he's playing fairly efficiently.

Onto coaching, I always believed dealing with egos is part of good coaching, for coach to have that kind of ego himself he needs to be re-evaluate himself for the job.

Great examples of good coaches dealing with egos by initiate the first contact: Greg Popovich, Mike Brown, Phil Jackson to name a few.

Clearly Iverson is not ready to deal with retiring, and not ready to acknowledge he's no longer the star on whatever team he's on. I read Hollins comments slightly differently - basically that Hollins did not consider Iverson coming off the bench as an issue, certainly not one that justifies him seeking Iverson out to discuss it outside of the usual team environment. He said 'my door is open' , but it looks like Iverson expects the coach to run his plans by him and get his OK. I'd say the Grizzlies biggest mistake was ever signing him. Bad decision made for the wrong reasons.

look at it this way, when a boy have a fight with his dad and chose not to talk to him, who's normally the one initiates the talk and addresses the problem?

Look at it this way - your comparison between Iverson and a boy fits perfectly, and that's the problem.

The first point to be made is, what is wrong with coming off the bench and what gives Iverson the right to make it such an issue that it effects the rest of the team?

If it's true that he won't play unless he starts, then as his employer I'd be exploring every avenue to not pay him. Not sure how you can expect to get paid when you aren't working?

Again....not an AI fan at all. No doubt he's an arrogant little bastard, but he's also a multiple all-star and deserves a LITTLE respect.

Whatever has happened in the past is irrelevant, as is whatever he has said in the media. The FACT is that, even if there is NO chance it could be resolved, the coach SHOULD have made an effort to talk to him.

Iverson voiced his displeasure to the media after 1 game. Surely then as a coach you take him into your office and explain where your coming from right away, instead of letting it deteroriate like this.

On another note the Grizzlies must really see something in Conley because the guy has done absolutely NOTHING in his career to date. Iverson would be a major upgrade and would help their core of Gay, Mayo, and Gasol win some games. 12 and 4 on 58% shooting in 20 mins a game are very good numbers.

Conley is putting up only 9 and 6 in 30 mins a game on only 41% shooting. I think they should try and trade him now while he is still young and can get something for him

M Dizzle...So if you complain to the media after 1 game and the coach doesn't take you into his office to explain himself, you quit after 2 more games?

More on ESPN today: http://linky.com.au/273ss

ok, here it is, if a kid is not making the right decision do you just ignore him? or do you talk to him and get him on the right track?

I'm with you LA Boy...

How long before Iverson starts up his own web cam show? He could team up with Marbury. It could be called the "AI & Starbury" show and they could tell anyone that cares about "how much they accomplished (ie zero championships)" and "how everyone should show them respect for what they have accomplished (ie zero championships)".

Let's face it. These guys are washed up (physically and mentally) and have an inflated opinion of thier own worth which was evident over the offseason as Marbury had only one option, to return to Boston (thankfully for the Celt's he didn't).

While Iverson, after being told to stay home by Detroit prior to the playoffs (gives you an idea of his worth to that team) had only one option in the end (after he was blowing his own horn all summer about him choosing which team to play for) which was Memphis. Let's face it, the Grizzlies haven't exactly been a hot spot for marquee free agent signings which further underlines the fact that AI had no other offers.

They guy was good 4 yrs ago but he's now a bum that's worn out his welcome at every team he's played for.

Stick a fork in him, he's done!

this is a whole different case, Marbury really had no game left in him.

AI still has more in the tank, he was very efficient over the first 2 games. Detroit don't run a system that suits him that's why it broke down. Memphis is just a mess in itself so it would make some sense (at least to me) for him to start. If this is AI's team, call me crazy if you like but I think it has the potential to make a run at the playoffs when 'coached' properly.

you have Mayo, Gasol and AI, that's a better team than that of the '01 76ers. has AI slowed down? I really don't think so, is his attitude a problem? hell yeah but that's what a good coach is for.

Iverson is no "kid" though. He's a man that acts like a "kid". He's an effective player still yes, but he doesn't want to play anyone elses game but his own. He's a horror to coach, so why would the Grizzlies go away from coaching the young team they have to deal with some cry baby veteran. I was a big AI fan, but the last few seasons of his and his outbursts are embarrassing.

He made it pretty damn clear in press conferences in the pre-season that Memphis should look to win the title. Shouting things like "why not us?". You're kidding me! no one on that team could honestly have that expectation, to reach just or achieve just less than .500 would be a good result for that team after last season.

Agree - he's not a kid. If the coach has made some effort and had little luck (which you'd assume he has), the ball is in Iverson's court. He's close to throwing away his reputation and legacy.

Maybe Iverson is not done jsut yet.

I just read an article which float's the idea of Iverson joining the Knicks. This makes perfect sense and could be a win, win situation. The Knicks aren't interested in this season at all (other than accumulating expiring contracts, etc) and thier fans know it. Iverson would get to start and get his shot's as D'Antoni's run and gun system would suit him perfectly.

For the Knicks, his presence might put some extra bum's on seats and his contract expires at the end of the season so the Knicks can still make a run at the free agent class.

Obviously, it would depend on what ends up happening with his status with the Grizz but it seems like something you could see happening.

Jay-Jay. If you actually read what I said you would see that I am in no way defending Iverson going to the media, I am simply saying that Hollins should have spoken to him straight away and not let it carry on the way it has. Im saying he should be starting over Conley not because I agree with what he is saying to the media, but becuase i think he's a much better player!

M Dizzle- that is what I'm saying too, he should be starting because he is much better of a player. and you understand why AI is upset, it's not like Memphis has got CP3 and Kobe at the guard spot.

Hollins should have talked to him before everything and ego got in his way. I'm not saying AI is a kid, but it was a mere analogy. coach-player is many time like a father-son relationship.

I would highly disagree that AI is ruining his reputation/legacy by all this, perhaps internationally he is but once the curtain draws he will still be regarded as the best little man scorer in history of the game. I know some would go as far as saying the best ballhandler too. Wait till a documentary comes out on him and hear what others around the league has to say about him.

kick AI to the curb, he WAS one of my fav players but these days he's just an arrogant prick, a cancer that needs to be cut

I find this amazing. How the hell can you sign a guy who you know will kick up a fuss if he is not starting and then plan to bring him off the bench, but never discuss this with him??

From the ESPN article above:
"No one is [sure what the Grizzlies were thinking], especially in light of recent revelations that neither GM Chris Wallace nor Hollins addressed Iverson's role as a starter or bench player before signing him"

How can they not have discussed this? Or thought about the consequences if they didn't start him??

Same thing happened with Miller in Portland.

I don't understand how these things happen, is the first thing you would ask in any job interview: "what do you see my role being?"

I mean you are paying someone over 3 mill to do a job, you think you could at least discuss their role. Amazing.

P.S. if you were AI would you be happy sitting on the bench while watching Mike Conley play 35 mins while you get 15?

olskoolgamer- not to mention probably been more productive over that 15min span

More on this today through ESPN: http://linky.com.au/h13fm

From team owner Heisley: "I expect him to come back," Heisley said. "If he does retire, I'll be tremendously disappointed. I feel bad because I don't think that's the way he should go out."

Exactly, LA Boy. Not Conley's fault, but the coach and GMs fault.

I liked it where Heisley said "if he was going to retire, he'd tell me first." Yep, you'd be on the top of his list to have a heart to heart with after not even telling him he will be riding the bench.

Another article today from Memphis ripping the Grizzlies here:
http://linky.com.au/3j1za

Word on the street is AI could pop up at NY to help out the struggling Knicks.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4671199

(Linky not working)

Iverson under D'Antonio could be fun to watch, whether you like AI or not.